Luggage with transparent liner

ABSTRACT

A liner for a piece of luggage is made of transparent material which can be removed and inspected from all sides without the necessity of being opened.

[4 1 Jan. 21, 1975 United States-Patent [191 McGraw LUGGAGE WITHTRANSPARENT LINER 2,453,663 11/1948 m a m r. .m B

Winner e B ll 77 99 ll 23 50 O7 5O 67 33 [22] Filed:

Primary Examiner-Herbert F. Ross Attorney, Agent, or FirmBiebel, French& Bugg t n e r a p S n a f 1. f 0 e d a m T .m m M, R a T g s w B l f A0 e c .m D a r m r e l .m 7 l .61 A C 5 m5 M 1 0 5 5 9 ,4 1A52 42 "ml mmm6 "0 m mmh "C u r "8 He us LL m C WM .P U.mF MUN 555 [ll R f dmaterial which can be removed and inspected from all e erences l 8 sideswithout the necessity of being opened. UNITED STATES PATENTS 1 Claim, 11Drawing Figures Crader........ 190/53 X PATENIEU m2 1 m5 SHEET 2 BF 2LUGGAGE WITH TRANSPARENT LINER BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION It is commonpractice to require inspection of personal luggage when going throughCustoms and at airports for security reasons. In the usual case thisrequires opening the luggage and lifting all or part of the contentswhich frequently leaves the travel material disarranged and subject towrinkling unless carefully repacked. With the present invention, thisproblem is minimized because the liner is transparent on all sides andthus removal of the articles is largely unnecessary.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The invention provides liners of a size adaptedto fit a particular piece of luggage which are of transparent plasticmaterial in varying degrees of rigidity as may be desired. The liner hasa closure means for packing and unpacking and likewise has one or moreliftout or carrying handles to facilitate inspection.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a perspective view of theluggage containing the liner packed with clothing;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view with the liner and contents lifted out ofthe luggage;

FIG. 3 is a detailed view of the empty liner in open position;

FIG. 4 is a view of a liner with a different type of closure means;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a liner adapted to be used in a car bagto hold either mens suits or ladies dresses;

FIG. 6 is a view of a liner received in a typical pullman case; v

FIG. 7 is a view showing a pair of similar liners received in a piece ofluggage;

FIG. 7a is a view showing one of the in FIG. 7;

FIG. 8 is a view showing a liner adapted to be received in a tote bag;

FIG. 9 is a view showing a liner of FIG. 8 in closed position, and,

FIG. 10 is a section. view through a portion of the liner showing themanner in which the loops and handles may be attached to the body of theliner.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS FIG. 1 shows a typical suitcase10 with a cover 11 containing elastic pockets 12 in the cover. Thesuitcase is of a conventional type and affords the proper strength andwear resistance. In the suitcase is a liner 15 of approximately the sizeand shape of the interior of the suitcase so that it will be receivedsnugly therein and will fit without separate movement relative to thesuitcase. The liner as shown in FIG. 3 is generally rectangular inconstruction and has an upper closure means 16 with fastening means 17extending along three sides and a short distance along the fourth side,providing for the hinging of the closure means upon the rest of thematerial. The fastening means may be a zipper, a plastic groove fastneras used on some tobacco pouches or raised pile fabric fastner. One ormore handles 18 are provided in order to facilitate lifting the linerout of the case when inspection is desired. Any suitable transparlinersembodied ent thermoplastic material may be used such as polyethylene,polypropylene, polyvynychloride or other material which will give thedesired degree of stiffness or rigidity. It is not necessary that theliner be fully rigid but a preferred condition is that of semi-rigidityso that the liner will retain its shape and continue to hold thecontents essentially as packed even when turned over for inspectionpurposes.

It is not necessary that the closure be located at the end walls, andFIG. 4 shows a modification in which the closure is formed in the top ofthe liner.

FIG. 5 shows a modification in which the liner is adapted to fit into acar bag which can be hung from one end or folded in the middle with twohandles 20.

FIG. 6 is a view showing the car bag of FIG. 5 in place in a case.

Flg. 7A is a view similar to FIGS. 1, 2 and 3, but showing loops 22 toserve as handles rather than the more conventional handles 18.

FIG. 7 is a view showing how a plurality of liners may be used forconvenience rather than having a single large liner, this arrangementbeing particularly advantageous with a larger piece of luggage.

FIG. 8 shows another modification where the liner is adapted to fit acustomary tote bag, again having handles 18 and/or loops 22 for handlingand inspection;

As shown in FIG. 10 the handle 18 and loop 20 may have a tongue 25 whichis received between the wall 23 of the liner and an inturned flange-26thereof. The tongues are retained in position be means of either heatsealing or by means of adhesive or be stitching.

Thus the invention provides an attractive, light weight device for usewith a piece of luggage to facilitate inspection of the clothing andother travel articles wherever inspection is desired and withoutrequiring the removal of the material since for most purposes inspectionfrom all sides will suffice. Thus the material inside the liner retainsits original position and no repacking following the inspection isnecessary.

While the articles herein described constitute preferred embodiments ofthe invention, it is to be understood that the invention is not limitedto these precise articles,' and that changes may be made therein withoutdeparting from the scope of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. In combination with a conventional suitcase having a cover ofsubstantially the same length and width as the body of the suitcase andproviding access to the entire interior of the suitcase when open, theimprovement comprising shaped liner means positioned within and of thesame size and shape as said interior of said suitcase, substantiallyfilling said entire interior. of said suitcase, a closure member forsaid liner means, handle means attached to said liner means andfacilitating ready removal of said liner means from said suitcase, saidliner means being formed from a transparent materialpermittinginspection of the contents thereof when said liner means is removed fromsaid suitcase without removal of the contents from said liner means saidliner means comprises a plurality of separate shaped liners whichcollectively are of the same size and shape as and fill the entireinterior of said suitcase, each said separate liner having a pair ofsaid handle means whereby each said liner can be removed independentlyof the other liners.

1. In combination with a conventional suitcase having a cover ofsubstantially the same length and width as the body of the suitcase andproviding access to the entire interior of the suitcase when open, theimprovement comprising shaped liner means positioned within and of thesame size and shape as said interior of said suitcase, substantiallyfilling said entire interior of said suitcase, a closure member for saidliner means, handle means attached to said liner means and facilitatingready removal of said liner means from said suitcase, said liner meansbeing formed from a transparent material permitting inspection of thecontents thereof when said liner means is removed from said suitcasewithout removal of the contents from said liner means said liner meanscomprises a plurality of separate shaped liners which collectively areof the same size and shape as and fill the entire interior of saidsuitcase, each said separate liner having a pair of said handle meanswhereby each said liner can be removed independantly of the otherliners.